1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and to a method of assembling it.
2. Description of the Related Art
A side-retainer connector has a housing with a plurality of parallel cavities for receiving terminal fittings. A retainer mount hole is formed in one side surface of the housing and extends substantially normal to the cavities. A retainer can be pushed into the hole to lock the terminal fittings in the cavities.
Side-retainer connectors provide secure locking because the retainer is aligned substantially normal to the inserting direction of the terminal fittings. However, connectors of this type still have room for improvement.
For example, clearances are set between the retainer mount hole and the retainer, including a dimension along the inserting direction of the terminal fittings. These clearances are necessary to push the retainer smoothly. However, a retainer mount position may vary forward or backward along the inserting direction of the terminal fittings due to such clearances.
Similar clearances are set between the retainer and the retainer mount hole and permit the retainer to tilt. A retainer that tilts backward while at a most forward position in the mount hole may interfere with the terminal fittings even though the terminal fittings are inserted to a proper depth. Thus, an insufficiently inserted state of the terminal fittings may be detected erroneously.
Conversely, a retainer that tilts forward while at a rearmost position in the retainer mount hole may not interfere with the terminal fittings even though the terminal fittings are inserted insufficiently: In such a case, the insufficiently terminal fittings may not be detected.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to detect the inserted states of terminal fittings.
The invention relates to a connector with a housing that is connectable with a mating connector housing. The housing has at least one cavity and a terminal fitting is insertable in the cavity along an inserting direction. The cavity may be parallel to the connecting direction of the housing and mating housing. A retainer mount hole is formed in the housing and communicates with the cavity. The mount hole is formed at an intermediate longitudinal position of the housing and opens to three sides. A retainer can be pushed into the mount hole to engage and lock the terminal fitting. The retainer and/or the housing has guide means for guiding the retainer oblique to the inserting direction of the terminal fitting and for pushing the terminal fitting to the proper depth.
A lock in the cavity can lock a terminal fitting that has been inserted to the proper depth. The lock preferably is resiliently deformable and cooperates with the retainer to achieve double locking.
The retainer is displaced from an initial position at a rear side of the retainer mount hole to a final mount position at the front side of the retainer mount hole along the inserting direction of the terminal fitting.
A terminal fitting may be inserted only lightly and therefore may be distanced from its proper depth. Such a terminal fitting immediately interferes with the retainer when an attempt is made to move the retainer from its initial position. Thus, the insufficiently inserted state can be detected. However, a terminal fitting may be only slightly before the proper depth. In this situation, the retainer pushes the terminal fitting and guides the terminal fitting to the proper depth as the retainer is moved obliquely from the initially position. The retainer then locks the terminal fitting in a proper state.
The guide for guiding the retainer obliquely to the inserting direction of the terminal fitting may be on the portion of the retainer held in sliding contact with the housing when the retainer is pushed into the retainer mount hole.
The retainer is movable forward and back in the retainer mount hole. Therefore, the function of the retainer to detect insufficient insertion is not hindered by a variation in the fitted position of the retainer unlike the prior art.
The retainer preferably comprises two opposed side plates that face opposite side surfaces of the housing. Guides are provided along a pushing direction of the retainer where the side plates and the housing face each other. The guides enable the retainer to be mounted in a proper posture and pushed without being inclined.
The retainer mount hole preferably is formed by cutting off the housing in an area extending from a surface that substantially faces the pushing direction of the retainer over to side surfaces substantially normal to and adjacent the surface that faces the pushing direction. However, the sides of the retainer substantially close openings in the opposite side surfaces of the housing made by the retainer mount hole. As a result, the sides of the retainer also serve as the outer walls of the housing, and the housing can be narrower than a housing that does not have a retainer mount hole in both side surfaces.
The retainer preferably is mounted in the housing for movement between partial and full locking positions. Insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fittings are permitted when the retainer is in the partial locking position. However, the retainer engages and locks the terminal fitting when the retainer is moved to the full locking position. A clearance preferably is defined between the retainer and the retainer mount hole so that an inserted state of the terminal fitting into the cavity can be seen through the clearance when the retainer is at the partial locking position. However, the retainer substantially closes the clearance when the retainer reaches the full locking position so that external matter cannot enter into the housing.
The retainer may comprise two spaced apart side plates. Additionally, either one of the facing surfaces of the side plates and the housing are formed with guide grooves that extend oblique to the inserting direction of the terminal fitting. The other of the side plates and the housing are formed with locking projections that align with the guide grooves and move along the extending direction of the guide grooves. Thus, the retainer is pushed in the oblique pushing direction and can be guided by the displacement of the locking projections in the guide grooves.
The cavities may be arranged at a plurality of stages in the housing and may be adapted to accommodate the terminal fittings inserted from behind.
The retainer can be moved longitudinally forward and backward in the retainer mount hole. Thus, a variation in the fitted position of the retainer does not hinder the ability of the retainer to detect the insufficiently inserted terminal fittings, and the insufficiently inserted terminal fitting can be corrected automatically. As a result, it is not necessary to reinsert the terminal fitting.
The locks may comprise ribs that can be held substantially in sliding contact with edges of the guide grooves. Locking means are provided at the surfaces of the side plates and those of the housing for engaging each other when the retainer is at a position for locking the terminal fittings.
A push-preventing projection may be provided at the rear of each locking projection with respect to the pushing direction of the retainer. Each locking projection may engage one end of the corresponding guide groove and the push-preventing projection may engage the other end of the corresponding guide groove when the retainer is at the partial locking position. Additionally, each locking projection preferably engages the other end of the corresponding guide groove and the push-preventing projection is disengaged from the guide groove and outside the retainer when the retainer is in the full locking position. Accordingly, a return movement of the retainer can be prevented by the locking projections and an inadvertent movement of the retainer to the full locking position can be prevented by the push-preventing projections.
The invention also relates to a method of assembling a connector. The method comprises inserting a terminal fitting along an inserting direction and into a cavity of a connector housing. The method then comprises pushing a retainer into a mount hole of the housing to engage and lock the terminal fitting in the housing. The pushing step includes guiding the retainer obliquely to the inserting direction of the terminal fitting, and thereby pushing an insufficiently inserted terminal fitting to the proper depth in the cavity. The retainer mount hole is at an intermediate longitudinal position of the housing and is open to three sides. The pushing step includes closing at least parts of the mount hole by the retainer as the retainer is pushed into the mount hole.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.